Bracket



1943- R. s. SAN-FORD 2,327,970

BRACKET Filed April 3, 1941 front face the backing plate relation. i e e The bracket of the :present invention is relatively smallandsupports a fixture of compara- Patented Aug. 24 1943 2,321,970 a BRACKET Roy Sanford,

Autoyre Company,

001111., a corporation akvil le, Conn assignor to The Incorporated, Oakville,

f Connecticut Application April 3,1941, Serial No. 386,601

This is'a continuation in part of applicants 'copending application Serial No. 321,850, filed March2, 1940, for Welded connection'and method of making.

. This invention relates to a bracket and has special reference to a means for holding a fixture ina fixed relation with a wall or other support.

More particularly, this invention relates to a bracket comprising a member having a front face and an angularly extending peripheral flange,

the member having an. aperture in the front face thereof for receiving a portion of a fixture sup- .ported by the bracket. A backing plate is fixed to th member at the rear ofthe aperture and in a. spaced relation therewith, the portion of the fixture extended through the aperture being welded to the backing plate and being supported thereby and being further supportedat, a spaced point therefrom by the material bounding the aperture. Mean project rearwardly from the for; obtaining the above fixed tively heavy weight. For example, in the drawing a towel. rack is illustrated asa fixture and is supported by thebracket, the towel rack in turn supporting a supply of towels. Thetowel rack extends outwardly at. aright angle to the bracket and a portion of the fixture is welded to the backing plate thereof. The weight of thefixture supported by the bracket pulls directly against th weldwith a very substantialleverage; The

:present, invention contemplates: relieving, the strain. on-the; weld by supporting the fixture at a spaced point therefrom without increasingthe size of the bracket.

The bracket is formed preferably of a member .havinga front face and an angularly extending peripheral flange of stepped cross section. The face or front step of the member of the bracket is the necessity of apertured for receiving a. portion Iofa fixture. to

,be supported by the bracket and'a. backing plate iis fixed to the member at the rear of the aperture and in a second step of the member. The fixture portion extending throughthe aperture is welded uto the backingplate and issupported thereby and I is-further supported at a spaced point therefrom :fbycthe materialbounding the aperture. In this connection the weldedwportion of the backing plate is preferably substantially in th plane of .wthfi rear edge ofthe peripheral flange so that a spacing is had between the weld and i theisupport formed by the material bounding the:

of the member for engagement with i 5 Claims. (Cl. 248223 aperture in the front step of the member towhich the backin plate is affixed. Thus the fixture is supported at one end thereof by a. weld to a backing plate and is supported in a spaced relation therefrom by the material bounding the aperture through which a portion of the fixture is extended, thereby relieving direct pressur on the weld. i

Theaperture in the front face of thebracket through which a portion of the fixture extends is preferably of substantlallythe samesize and shape as the periphery of the fixture extended therethrough, only sufficient clearance being provided to permit the fixture to be inserted throughthe aperture. The welded connection is formed insideof the bracket and is hidden from view: iBars such as are employed in the manufacture of a towel rackor the like are cut from longrods or from a wire rolled on a spool, and

while it'is the purpose to cutthe rod atrlght angles to the axis thereof, this operation is not alwaysaccurately performed and the end of the rod may extend at a more or less obtus or acute angle with respect to the axis of the rod. Particularly is this true where the towel barto be formed is bent intosubstantially U shape whereby the bending process results in the provision of.

end surfaces which may be slightly off a plane at right angles to the axis of the bar. I

If the portion of the bar to be engagedwith the bracket is not squarely at right angles with the axis of the bar, then in disposing the bar and bracket in a welding machine oneedge of the face of the end of the bar is in contact withthe backing plate and the opposed edge is spaced slightly therefrom. The welded connection thus effected .is not of good appearance and when plated or painted, as isusually done, an unsightly condition is obtained because of the exposure of 40.

a portion of the rod which the plating or coating does not cover. Thus, in addition to the strength of the support for the fixture obtained in the present construction, a possible unsightly condiin the connection between by the bracket and the bracket not exposed to 50,,

. whichv a maximum strength tion is also obviated, the weld being hidden from si ht. I

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a bracket of the type indicated above wherethe fixture supported view. i

Another object of this invention is to provide a bracket of the hereinabove mentioned type in e V is imparted to the welded connection by relieving direct" pressure thereon. e

"witha second stepof the memberi3.

lets 20 extend through the apertures -and are Other objects and advantages of this invention will hereinafter be more particularly pointed out and, for a more complete understanding of the characteristic features of this invention, reference may now be had to the following description when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which latter:

Figure 1 is aperspective view, of a fixture .Supported by a bracket, the latter embodying the features of this invention; I

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of a bracket embodying the features of this invention, a portion of a fixture being shown in section as supthe U -shaped member "In. are secured to a pair of spaced brackets l2, the brackets l2 em-bpdying the features of this invention. While a towel :rack has been shown .in the drawing it .is, qf

courseyto beiunrlerstood that various otherrfixtures maybe-substituted therefor and that he portions =l0a..of-the U-shaped member ID representportions which may be extended from any fixture adapted to be supported by a wallor'other support.

Each of thesbrackets i2 comprises a member *l3'havingafront face :and .an angularly extending peripheral flange 14 of stepped crosssection *as shown. more particularly in Fig. .4. The memher-l3 has an aperture 1.5 in the face of the front step thereof for receivingthe portion .lil apf the fixture. The member I 3is preferably. of resilient "sheet metala-nd is-preferably formed in a single piece.

A backing plate 46 preferably of sheet metal is flxed to the member t3 at the rear "of the aperture t5. .A medial portion ll of the'backing plate I6 is substantially=flatand the end of the fixture portion a is weldedt-hereto inany usu- -al-manner. It is preferable to provide an offset -portion"l 8 extending inwardly or forwardly toward the fixture portion, the end of the-bar or fixture portion l fiaengaging the oflfset-portion 'upon extension thereof through the aperture 15.

"Pressure is applied to the bar Hla by the-welding machine in the directionof the bracket, the bracket being held stationary, and after the Weld is effected the material of the offset portion I8 is deformed into the condition shown in-F-iga.

Thus the offset portion "is returned to the normal plane of the flattened portion thereof. In this condition arcing is initiated in the wel dingmachine from a central portion of the two elements sought to be welded together outwardlytherefrom to effect a Weld of maximum strength.

beaded thereover to effect the aforesaid fixed relation between the backingv plate It and the face plate or member E3. The flattened portion ll of the backing plate l6 lies substantially in the plane of the rear edge of the peripheral flange M. The first step of the face plate or membe i3 is substantially spaced from the flattened portion .0 t e ba plate it that port for the'bar ,itlais obta edjrictcmy atzthe weld I but at a point spaced therefrom by the material bounding the aperture l5.

'The backing plate It is embossed in one direction as above stated and is also embossed in the opposite direction bythe provision of radial embossment s-iil whichtend to strengthen the back ,ing plate. jA'lSO the backing plate is provided with legs 22which extend rearwardly from a peripheral portion of the backing plate, the legs terminating in substantially the plane of the rear edge of the peripheral flange it.

n ord r t nsut a th i r por ion A a is' l selyhel by th m mbe -.,.terbeing s rted throu h beaperture t5 and-weldedrtcthe backing plate l6, portions of the fropt'step f the m mber is may be punc ed around the fixture Midas ind catedbyz hereference numeral .23, in :Fig. 2. "welded havezbech llsed rpll holltzthespecification, it will of course :be understood that other .methods'of fixedly-.secnringthe fixture portions :Lfla to therbackplate alt may be einployed'.

While the terms fweld? and -While'but.a, sing1e embodiment of this. invention is herein shown anddescribed, it is to be understood that .various modifications whereof maybe apparent to those skilledin the art Without departing fromithe spirit and scopeof this inventionand; therefpre, the same is .only

to be.:limited by the-scopelof .the priorart and the appended claims. I

'I claim: 1. In-a b-racketof the.characterdescribed,--a

rmember having a'front face and'anangularly extending peripheral flange, said memberha-vi-ng -an aperture in said front "facefor receivinga portion of a fixture supported by said bracket,-a

backing plate, and means projecting 'rcarwardly from the front face of saidmemberifor engaging r said backing plate fixedly-tdsupport said backing ?plate at the rear. of said apertur-e and in spaced relation to-said front 'face, said :fixture portion being fixedly-securedat one. end to said backing platerfor support thereby and'b-eing furthen supported at .a point spaced from said end-by the materialboundingsaid-aperture. T 1

2. :In. a bracketcf Lthe ccharacteri described,-a

'member'having. a 'frorrt'fface, andanangularly ex- .tendlng .peripheral flange, :said member having-an I aperture in said front: face for receivingaportion However, as aforesaid, any welding operation may be employed.

Portions of the-backing plate I6 extending outwardly of the. medial flattened portion tl-are' preferably embossed, the ends of the embossed "portions being provided with" apertures 19 which engage eyelets 20 -preferably'iormed integrally The eyeof aflxture' supportedyby said. bracket, a backing plate havingapertures adjacent ithe'oppositeends thereof and eyelets formed integrally witharrd projecting. rearwardly; from the-front face ofrsaid member through said apertures insaid backing .plate forv supporting said-backing plate-at the rear of said-apertured :front tace and-inspaced relation thereto, said eyelets, permitting the lipassage of fastening meanstherethroughfonattaching said bracket toasupporting .wall', said fixture portion being fixedly securedto' sa'id backing plate f or support therebyrandibeing 5 further supported at .a spaced point therefrom by i the irnater-ial boundingsaid aperture'insaid' front face.

3. In a bracket: of :the; character described; 4a

--member -having a" front iface'ha nd ian .lan'gul'arly extending peripheral -flange of- Jstepped cross; secmember having a front face tion, said member having an aperture in the front step thereof for receiving a portion of a fixture supported by said bracket, and a backing plate supported thereby and being further supported at a spaced point therefrom by the material bounding said aperture, the welded portion of said backing plate being substantially in the plane of the rear edge of said peripheral flange.

4. In a bracket of the character described, a

and an angularly extending peripheral flange, said member having an aperture in said front face thereof for receiving a portion of a fixture supported by said bracket, a backing plate fixed to said member at the rear of saidaperture and in a spaced relation therewith, said fixture portion being fixedly secured to said backing plate and being supported thereby and being further supported at a spaced point therefrom by the material bounding said aperture, and aplurality of projections on said backing plate extending rearwardly therefrom an'dterminating in the substantial plane peripheral flange.

5. In a bracket of the character described, a

member having a front face andan angularly extending peripheral flange of stepped cross section,

said member having an aperture in the front step thereof for receiving a portion of a fixture supported by said bracket, and a backing plate fixed to saidmemberat the rear of said aperture and in a second step thereof, said backing plate having apertures therein, a pair of eyelets formed from the material of said second step and extending rearwardly therefrom through said apertures for engaging the material bounding said apertures in said backing plate, said fixture portion being welded to said backing plate and being supported thereby and being supported at a spaced pointtherefrom by the material bounding said aperture in said front step, the welded portion of said backing plate being substantially in the plane of the rear edge of said peripheral flange. ROY S. SANFORD.

of the rear edge of said 

